


Chances

by Artemis_Skies



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy Hargrove Redemption, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Oc is Dustins older sister, Romance, Slow Burn, Soft Billy Hargrove, This is going to be longer than I thought, billy is smitten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28016343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Skies/pseuds/Artemis_Skies
Summary: Billy Hargrove didn’t believe in love at first sight, or love at all for that matter. The only person who he thought he could trust to love him abandoned him, leaving him to the mercy of his fathers’ anger. How could he believe anyone could love him when his own mother left him behind.So no, Billy didn’t believe in love. Love was just a word people used to get someone attached and then just rip it from their hands. But what happens when his eyes land on Daisy Henderson? Will Billy take the chance?
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	1. The Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been bouncing around in my mind since I first binged ST a year ago, and I finally sat down to make it happen. Billy is a bit ooc, but I tried my best to keep him as in character as I could and will remain trying to do so, even though I MADE Daisy out to be his one weakness, and that will continue on through out, but I promise to keep his bad boy energy that everyone loves! I hope you enjoy this first chapter, it took me so long to finally just sit down and get it out, but here it is!

Hawkins High was buzzing as students flooded out of their last class of the day, friends hollering to each other and lockers slamming as everyone prepared to leave for the day. Billy stood at his locker, leaning against it as Tina stood in front of him, twirling her hair and smacking her gum as she gazed at him through her lashes.

“You’re coming to my party this weekend right Billy? It’s totally going to be the best one yet.” She flirts, leaning in to place her hands on his chest and he smirks.

“Wouldn’t miss it babe.” He hums, lifting his eyes to scan the hallway. He was waiting for Tommy, they had their usual ritual of lighting up a joint behind the school while Billy waited for Max to say her goodbyes to her nerd friends. But Tommy was late, which wasn’t unusual. He sometimes opted for making out with Carol, which Billy couldn’t blame him for. He even gives Tina a suggestive smirk, stepping up to her, when something collides with his back.

He stumbles forward slightly, Tina gasping dramatically and covering her mouth as he whirls around, ready to make whoever ran into him piss themselves in fear, when he freezes, mouth hanging open and all thoughts of threatening his mind. Before him stood the prettiest girl he has ever laid eyes on, bright green eyes looking at him apologetically as she bends down to pick up her scattered belongings.

“Oh my god I am so sorry! I wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going and I really should have been-“ She rambles, shoving her binder into her bag. Billy stands there for a moment, brain lagging, before he’s lowering himself to kneel on one knee, slowly collecting some of the girls papers and pens as she continues to spew her apology. 

He tried to train his eyes on the papers on the ground, but his eyes kept wandering up to the beauty in front of him. Chocolate locks fell in gentle curls around her face, even though she had most of them pulled back into a messy ponytail, green eyes locking with his as he silently handed over the papers he had collected. 

“Watch where you’re going Henderson.” Tina spat, flipping her hair out of her face as the other two slowly rose from the floor, but Billy never tore her eyes away from hers until she turned away, embarrassment flooding her features as she nodded. 

“R-Right, so sorry again…” She mumbled, fixing the strap of her bag on her shoulder before she was off, rushing away from Billy who felt like all his senses were overwhelmed with _her_. 

He followed her retreating form, who rushed past a red-faced, grinning Tommy as he approached the blond with a shoulder slap.

“‘Sup man?” The other asked, raising an eyebrow before casting a look at Tina, who was impatiently waiting for Billy to return his attention to her. “Who was that?” He asked, voice barely a mumble. Tommy tilts his head, looking over his shoulder at the brunette who was hastily shoving her bag into her locker.

“You mean the spazz? That’s Henderson-”

“Forget about all that, are you okay Billy?” Tina interrupts, putting on her best pout as she reaches out and runs her fingers over his sleeved arm. “That clutz always makes an idiot out of herself.” She scoffs, earning a chuckle from the other male. But Billy couldn’t seem to look away from the girl until she disappeared out of his sight, leaving only a strange flutter in his chest.

=

“You good Hargrove? You seem pretty out of it.” Tommy questions, smoke seeping through his lips as he hands the joint to Billy. The blond in general shrugs, bringing the filter to his lips as he takes a long drag. 

“You goin’ to Tina’s party?” He asks instead, even though he already knew the answer as he put out the last of their shared joint. “Duh, never could miss an opportunity for drunk cheerleaders.” He snickers, making Billy smirk, but his mind quickly floats back to those green eyes that haven’t left his thoughts in the last hour.

Billy has never been one to linger on girls. None of them stood out enough to him for more than a quick fuck, maybe a week fling before he moved on to the next willing girl to occupy his time. But this time, a girl who he had no idea existed until an hour wouldn’t leave his thoughts, and he didn’t even know her name.

“Tommy.” He starts before he realises he’s talking, and the other gives him a lifted brow in response when he noticed the other seemed to stop himself. 

“What’s up dude?” He questions, and Billy takes a moment to collect his thoughts before he gives his friend a half shrug. “Just curious about that chick that fell on me, that's all.” He hums, casting his eyes over at the other boy.

He’s surprised to see a flash of something dark in Tommy’s eyes before the other slips into a wicked smirk. “You talkin’ about Daisy?” He asks, and at Billy’s numb nod because _Daisy,_ his thought intruder had a name, and he wanted to test it on his tongue before Tommy spoke again.

“Wouldn’t even go for it man. That girl is wound tighter than a fuckin’ spring. And she hangs around that priss Wheeler and her goons of freaks.” He goes on, but Billy drowns out the words, the only thought in his head being a single name bouncing around in his brain like a skipping record. How perfectly her haired framed her face even when she had tried to tame it, the softness in her eyes once they locked on his.

“-such a downer man. Couldn’t even make out without her blushin’ like a virgin and telling me to slow down.” Are the last words to filter in, and he snaps his head over to look at the brunet. “What?” He bites out, and Tommy, not aware of the influence the girl had on Billy, shook his head as he laughed. 

“I know right? She never even let me up her shirt, and man half the guys in our grade were aching at chance to grope those-”

“THERE you are Tommy!” Carol huffs, and Billy has never been more grateful for the insufferable girls presence as he calmed his simmering rage. He didn’t know how or why this girl affected him so much, but the thought of _Tommy_ trying to be the one to sneak his hand up her shirt sent angry shocks through Billy’s brain, and as the couple locked themselves in their disgusting display of tonsil hockey, he voiced his leave and didn’t even wait for his friends wave before making a beeline for the parking lot, digging a cigarette out of the pocket of his jacket.

Billy didn’t do feelings, and he couldn’t explain how a girl he hasn’t spoken a single word to caused him to feel many conflicting emotions, but Billy wouldn’t let his mask down.

No one knew Billy, and no matter these strange new feelings swirling in his stomach, he was determined to keep it that way.

=

Saturday night fast approached, and as Billy gave himself one last smirk in his mirror, he adjusted his leather jacket and fixed a stray curl. He was prepared to enter his element, keeping his smirk in place as he grabbed his key, gave one last sprits of his best cologne and he was gone, calling a quick goodbye to his step-mother in the kitchen before he was out the door. He hummed to himself as he unlocked his mustang, sliding in cooly as presses the key into the ignition.

As he drives towards Tina’s, he allows himself to destress, the pounding bass of Motley Crue melting away each pinch of distress in his shoulders. A grin spread across his face as he pressed down on the gas a touch harder, Mustang tearing down the street as he sang along. When he pulled up to the driveway, he gave one last glance to the rearview mirror, ran a hand through his curls and stepped out, The King was ready for his people.

The party seemed to be in full swing by the time he arrived, people crowding around the beer pong table in clusters as what he could make out as Harrington made his shot, cheers sounding out as his opponent slammed back whatever swam in the solo cup. He weaved through bodies, sending Heather Holloway a sly wink as he slips by, watching the way she sticks out her chest and looks at him through her lashes.

“THE KING HAS ARRIVED!” Tommy roars once his eyes land on the blond, wrapping an arm around Billy’s shoulders as a chorus of cheers and calls sound out at Tommy’s announcement. He’s shoving a plastic cup in Billy’s hand before he can he can speak a word, so he just closes his eyes and tilts his head back, the whiskey burning his throat and warming his chest as he crushes the cup in his hand.

“Who came to party?!” He yells, grinning as another cup is shoved into his hand and he’s off. He loses himself in the music, being pulled wherever Tommy pulls him.

He beats some football player in beer pong, watching as the jock scowls before downing his remaining cup, and then he finds himself against Harrington once more in the beer keg, Tommy’s and others shouts of encouragements lost as he sucks down the booze before pulling off, and he’s being flipped to his feet before he can registrar what’s happening.

He doesn’t even take in Tommy’s shouts of victory as he watches Harrington get lowered to the ground, and he’s expecting a fight, an argument of any sort but the other just gives him a drunken smile, sticking out his hand that Billy surprises himself by taking. “Good round man.” Steve slurs before turning around.

Billy watches his retreating back, which is trying its best to make its way towards a giggling Wheeler, who is whispering happily to someone obstructed from Billy’s view by Nancy’s body. He keeps watching, seeing Steve drop down in the chair next to Nancy, who stops her conversation to turn look at the male with an affectionate roll of her eyes, when his eyes drift over to whoever she had been conversing with on the couch, when his heart stutters to a stop in his chest.

Daisy is tucked away in the corner of the couch, hair falling freely around her face as she laughs at something Steve says, eyes lighting up as each laugh that Billy desperately wishes to hear. He finds himself walking towards her before his movements can catch up to his drunken mind when he freezes, watching as she excuses herself from the couch before disappearing into the cluster of bodies in the living room. 

He tries his best to follow her, almost stopping when he caught Heather giving him one of _those_ looks as she moved her hips to the beat of the music, but he when he caught the sight of brown curls disappearing into the kitchen, he kept moving, pushing past his classmates before he finally stumbled through the kitchen door.

She was standing at the counter, eyes scanning over its many snacks and drink offers as she hums, and Billy allows himself to finally take in the sight of the girl who has been threatening his thoughts since the day previous.

Soft curls fell in gentle waves to her middle back, looking so soft Billy wanted to run his fingers through it as his eyes took her in, soft curves being held by a simple black sweater that fell loosley off one shoulder. She was shorter than him, by a good foot he decided as he let himself drift closer, before coming to a stop at her side.

“Trouble deciding?” He asks, watching her jump slightly at his sudden appearance, head tilting back to look up at him and he once more finds himself lost in a forest of endless green. Her eyes were so bright he could see specks of gold shining back at him as she gave him a shy smile.

“Tina’s mom is an amazing baker, they just all look so good.” She replies, and her voice is like gentle music in his ears. Soft and sweet, just like her he decides as he watches her sights return to the tray of cupcakes. She shifted nervously, no doubt recalling their little run in the day before, and before he can speak up, she’s looking up at him with such genuine embarrassment he wants to take her hands and soothe her.

“I… I really am sorry for running into you yesterday. Mr. Presley had kept me afterclass to discuss something for student council and I was in a rush so I could pick up my younger brother up in time and I was trying to put my binder away and I wasn’t-”

“Hey hey, don’t worry about it. No harm done.” He cuts off her ramble, shoving down the thoughts of how cute she looked getting herself worked up. He gave her a sly smile, grinning inwardly at the small blush that colors her cheeks before his brain fries at the soft little smile she gives him in return.

“True, but still not the ideal way to meet the big hotshot of Hawkins high huh?” She hums, turning to face him completely as she steals a cupcake off the tray, and he can’t help but smile, swiping his own treat as they both make their way over to the backdoor. 

“Better than you throwing yourself at me without telling me your name.” He surprises them both with his reply, and she casts a glance at him before she looks back out to the backyard. He tenses, but relaxes when she takes a small bite of her cupcake and makes a pleased hum. “Got tired of pleasing your subjects?” She prods, nodding her heads towards the kitchen door and Billy could make out faint shouts of “chug chug chug!” before he just shrugs.

“They can please themselves, better than having drunk idiots hanging off me every second.” He replies cooly, watching as she slowly nods her head. The party was the last thing on his mind now that he had Daisy to himself, and as he racked his booze hazed brain for conversation topics, he noticed her gazing outside and followed her line of sight.

A few meters away sat Tina’s pool, water gently lapping at the tile as the moon reflected off the calm water. He turned his eyes back to Daisy, who was now playing with the wrapper of her treat as they stood next to each other, and he could see the growing silence was making her fidgety. 

“Wanna go for a dip?” He quips, jerking his head towards the pool and he almost laughed at how wide her eyes got before she shook her head, curls bouncing as she laughed.

“Oh no. I’ve never been a fan of water.” She admits with a shy grin, looking back out towards the pool with a small shudder. “Oh?” Billy questions, raising a brow. He always found the water calming, even the harsh waves of Cali had once been enough to make any storm brewing in Billy’s mind to wash away. He didn’t take the girl to be one with fears, but the last glance she sends towards the still water makes Billy realise everyone has fears, even if they seemed insignificant to others. 

“Yeah… I uh- I’m not the strongest swimmer.” She sighs, a hand coming up to comb through her hair and Billy thought to himself about how soft her hair was, watching how easily her fingers raked through each curl. “It’s kinda stupid, espically in swimming pools but, water can be so powerful ya know? It could sweep me under and just...never let me go.” She ends quietly, avoiding his eye as she fiddled with the sleeves of her sweater.

“Sorry, that probably sounds really stupid and-” 

“No. No you’re allowed to have your own fears doll. Ain’t gonna shame you for that.” He assures, the petname slipping out naturally and he tried to push down the hope in his chest as her cheeks lit up once more, and he wanted nothing more than to lean down and feel how it felt to have her lips smiling against his when there was a shout from the living room, followed by a deafening _CRASH!_ That caused them both to jump in surprise. 

“Fuckin’ idiots.” He huffs out, shaking his head as Daisy laugh, giving him one last little smile before turning around. “Wanna go see what happened?” She asks, walking towards the door as Billy found himself nodding, trailing after her and out the door.

The living room was in chaos, bodies mingling and grinding as he weaved his way through the crowd, and try as he might, he lost Daisy amongst the sea of bodies and sighed. He scanned the bobbing heads, but caught no sight of her curls before he turned around, making his way towards the loud voices of Tommy and another student, Derek, were in a heated argument. He squashed down his feelings of disappointment though when Tommy’s sights landed on him, and a drunk grin spread across his features. “There he is! If any man can knock your ugly head down a notch McCreary it’s Hargrove.” He slurred, and once again Billy was whisked away into the moment of loud music and ever-flowing alcohol.

He doesn’t know how long he’s there, how many rounds of beer pong he has won, he lost track after two, before he finally finds his way to the dance floor, hips rocking between Heather and Tina. He’s trailing his hands up Heather's sides, allowing himself to press closer to her at her giggle when he spots her again. 

She’s pressed between Wheeler and Harrington, head swinging wildly to the beat of the music. She giggled at something the other girl whispers in her ear, eyes fluttering as the beat controls her body. He couldn’t look away, eyes glued to the way her body swayed and moved, hands coming to rest on Harrington’s shoulders and Billy felt a surge of jealous spike through him. He wanted to be the one pressed up to her, seeing the way she seemed to let herself relax to the beat as she mouthed the words, turning her head to sing loudly with Wheeler who whirls her around, their laughter barely reaching his ears over the thump of the heavy bass.

His movements had slowed, and he couldn’t look away from her smiling face until Heather pressed herself against him, and he tried to refocus on her, on the arms snaking up his chest to toy with one of his curls, the chest pressing into his as she brought herself closer to his face. “Something have you distracted?” She flirts, and he just nods, acting as though it’s her body plaguing his thoughts as he smirks down at her.

“Could think of a few things that have me distracted.” He mumbles low in her ear, dragging his hands up her sides and around her waist, trying to ignore the urge in him to turn back to the true object of his desires, keeping his eyes trained on the girls lip as she takes her bottom lip between her teeth. Another slower song starts up, and he brings her closer, grinding his hips to hers as he lets himself get lost in her, pushing any and all thoughts to the back of his head as his lips ghost over her ear.

Minutes pass by before something in him tells him to look back at her, something in his core tugging itself until he lifts his head from its position of sucking a deep mark onto Heathers throat to look over her shoulder, where he sees Daisy separating herself from Wheeler, stumbling her way through the mass of her classmates. Billy shakes it off, lowering his eyes once more before something to his left catches his attention.

Tommy, who had been busying himself with Carol and drinks, is whispering amongst a small group of guys and Carol, who has a smirk settled on her lips that send warning bells off in Billy’s head as he watches the small group disappear through the kitchen door. He straightens himself, pulling away from Heathers grasp who lets out a whine, trying to glue herself back to the blond. 

“Where are you going?” She huffs, pouting up at him but he just shakes his head, the feeling of worry growing stronger the longer Tommy is out of his sights. 

“Bathroom.” He grunts, and before she can invite herself along, he’s making a straight line towards Harrington. He seems to be struggling at holding himself and a properly fucked up Wheeler, but they fix their questioning gazes on him as he approaches, eyes scanning every head as he tries to locate Daisy, and by the time he’s in front of them, he’s on high alert, and Steve gives him a confused stare. 

“What’s up man?”

“Are you okay Billy?” Nancy slurs, eyes squinting up at him as he eyes them nervously. What if they thought he was leading Daisy into a trap? Or had already warned her to stay clear of the flirtatious bad boy? 

But that nagging feeling in his stomach hasn’t gone away, and the longer Daisy and Tommy are out of his sights, the more worried he gets, and that must be clear on his face because Steve seems to straighten himself up, eyes narrowing as he tries to keep a sensible grip on himself. “What’s wrong?” He asks again, and Billy defaltes.

“Where’s Daisy?” He asks, a hint of urgency to his voice as his eyes dart over to the kitchen, trying to catch any sign of Tommy or Daisy. That gets a cocked eyebrow, and Billy can see the protective hero acting slipping into place before his attention is brought back to the swaying brunette in front him.

“She said she wanted to get some air, to many people in her bubble.” She hums, pointing towards the kitchen and Billy felt his stomach drop. He didn’t even move an inch before Steve was grabbing his sleeve, fixing him with a hard glare. 

“What’s going on Hargrove?” He demands, but Billy just pulls himself out of the grasp, stumbling back as he turns to head towards the kitchen.

“He was following her.” He starts, willing his body to shove past others as he makes his way towards the door, Steve and Nancy hot on his heels. “Who was following her? What the hell are you on about?” Steve tries again as they reach the kitchen, but Billy pays him no mind, already going for the backdoor when he hears it. 

“STOP! Tommy _PLEASE!_ ” A voice from the backyard cries, and Billy throws the door open, speeding across the backyard as he hears Nancy’s shouts, his eyes only focused on the thrashing girl in Tommy’s arms, who is trying her best to create distance between herself and the still body of water besides them. 

“This little pussy needs a cold bath!” The boy cackles, wrapping his arms around her waist and hauling her into the air. There’s a shriek and chorus of shouts as he launches her into the water, but the world around Billy goes silent as he watches her sink under the waters of the deep end, and without a second thought, Billy dives in after her. 

The water is dark, but the glaring lights of Tina’s backyard lit it enough for Billy to push himself towards the struggling girl, wrapping her tightly in his arms to stop her flailing as he pushes himself towards the surface, keeping her close as he kicks towards the shallow end. Once he can touch, he finds his footing, lifting Daisy out of the water as she gasps, fingers wrapping tightly around the front of his jacket as he carries her up the steps. 

He sets her on the nearest lounge chair, holding back her hair as she coughs up chlorine, rubbing a soothing hand through her hair when her first intake of breath sounds faintly like a sob. 

“Shhh doll, I got you. You’re safe.” He murmurs into her ear, rubbing small circles on her back as she regains herself, her tiny frame trembling weakly in his arms. 

“I-I didn’t hear… He came out of nowhere…” She tries to start, before folding in on herself, fat tears making their way down her cheeks as she tries to hide herself, but Billy holds tight, blood simmering as he pulls her into his chest, rocking her slowly has he tries to calm her. 

He glances over, and Nancy is hauling a seething Steve off of Tommy, who clutches his nose pathetically as he rolls around in the grass, Carol kneeling next him, shrieking at Steve, who looks like he’s out for blood before Nancy finally starts to drag him over to where the two of them were seated. Billy didn’t want to let go, but as they got closer he could tell the event had been just as sobering for them as it was for him.

He gave Daisy a soft squeeze before pulling away, heart stuttering when her breath hitched and she tried to hide herself back into the safety of his chest, but Steve was kneeling beside her, speaking soothing words that slowly eased her grip on his jacket. When he was free enough, he gently tugged her hands away from his chest before standing, allowing Nancy to take his place on the chair. 

She pulls her close, her head resting atop of Daisy’s as her and Steve do their best to console their small friend. “I’m so sorry Daisy. I didn’t even think…” Nancy starts, but her shoulders drop and she just buries her face in the other girls matted curls. Billy shifts awkwardly, his clothes clinging to him as he shoves some of hair out of his face, and his movement alerts the other three he was still present.

Steve lifted his gaze from Daisy’s hand, where he was rubbing little circles around her knuckles. “Hargrove-”

“T-Thank you.” Daisy cuts him off, lifting her head weakly from its place on Nancy’s shoulder. Her voice was small, and she wouldn’t meet Billy’s eyes as she straightened herself, reaching back and wrapping her wet hair into a messy bun. “You didn’t have to jump in after me, your jackets probably ruined.” She mumbles, but Billy shakes his head. 

“Don’t worry about the leather Henderson, are _you_ okay?” He asks, crouching next to Steve so he could get a better look at her face. She scoffs, but there’s no malice to it, she just sounds tired.

“Okay? I’m humiliated… The one time I listen to Steve and come to let go, fucking Tommy ruins it.” She spits, closing her eyes tightly as she wraps her arms around herself, and it dawns on Billy that she’s probably freezing. He stands again, Nancy and Steve following his movement with careful eyes as he shrugs off his leather, gently draping it over Daisy’s shoulders.

“Go get her cleaned up. I have a spare sweatshirt and joggers in my car.” He tells Nancy, before turning around to make his way back towards the house, but he pauses. He turns slowly, and Carol and Tommy’s band of goons circling him on the ground as he nurses his broken nose. He approaches them quietly, fists curling at his sides when Tommy sees him, and there’s a nasty cut above his eyebrow too. Good one Harrington.

“Billy, man did you see that shit? I was just trying to get the bitch to let loose a little.” He spits, and Billy sees red, and once he’s close enough his fist is winding back before he can stop himself, and he hears the satisfying _crack_ once his fist meets Tommy’s jaw.

“BILLY!” Carol shrieks as Tommy goes back, this time out cold as he lays sprawled on the grass. He straightens himself out, flipping his damp curls out of his eye before he fixes Carol and the remaining idiots in front of him. 

“If any of you come near Henderson again, I will personally curb stomp your face in until no one can tell who the fuck you are. That goes for Hagen too. If I even see him near her it will be worse than a fucked up jaw.” He says roughly, looking at each of them before turning on his heel and striding towards the house, missing the thankful smile Daisy was sending his way as he entered the house. 

He shoved his way through the crowd, but it was like his classmates could feel the anger seeping from the King, so most made a great show of shoving themselves out of is way as he approached the front door.

Minutes later he was climbing the stairs, trying to figure out which one held the two girls were occupying, when he heard soft voices from the bedroom farthest down the hall. He approached slowly, not wanting to barge in on Daisy if she was in the middle of changing. 

Huh, that was a new one. Usually, Billy had no qualms against entering a room where the girl could be undressing, usually slipping in and slipping out a little later with his own clothes nicely rumpled, but it doesn’t feel right with Daisy. Not when she looked so small clinging to his jacket, finding safety in him after something he knew had her feeling waves of fear.

So he paused outside the door, hand raised to knock when their conversation made him stop.

“This was such a stupid idea, God I’m so sorry for bringing you here Daisy.” Nancy rattles on, and Billy could hear faint sniffles and the ruffle of clothing.

“Don’t blame yourself Nanc. You didn’t know Tommy would throw me in.” Daisy replies, voices tired and small and Billy’s heart squeezes in his chest. Tommy knew about her fear of water, he had to. They dated, and Billy felt the anger rising once more at the thought of Tommy purposely using one of Daisy’s fears against her.

“I should have gone with you, I should know better than to leave you alone at a party.” Nancy continues, but Daisy hushes her. 

“Nancy, please. Before that I… I was really happy to be here. It was fun.” She states, and Billy could hear the smile in her voice. “How did you know to come look for me anyways?” She asks, and Billy feels himself freeze.

“Actually, Hargrove is the one who asked us where you went off to. He seemed… kinda urgent actually.” Nancy explains, and Billy wants nothing more than to hightail it and run, but he’s rooted to the spot. “When I said you stepped outside, it was like getting to you was his mission.” She finishes, and the silence that stretches is almost enough to make Billy dash away, but Daisy spoke up before he could.

“He’s nice.” She says softly, and it was like Billy’s heart slammed to a stop in his chest. Billy was… nice? No one had used nice to describe Billy. Nice on the eyes maybe, but not _nice_.

“He kept me company in the kitchen earlier, and I didn’t feel like his nightly prey. I felt, I don’t know, like he wanted to be there with me.” She continues, and before Billy could stop himself, he’s knocking on the door.

“Who is it?” Nancy asks quickly, and after a moment of rustling movement, Billy pops his head in, but keeps his gaze on the carpet.

“Got those clothes.” He says simply, opening the door a little wider so he could step inside. They’re sitting on what he is guessing Tina’s bed, and Daisy was still wrapped up in his jacket. It almost swallowed her whole, but he couldn’t stop the spread of warmth in his chest at how she could still look breathtaking, even with her unruly curls and smeared mascara and sad eyes.

“Thank you Billy. Really.” Nancy says to him, and there’s a genuine smile on her face that made a happy feeling swirl in his stomach. He doesn’t linger on the feeling long, his eyes leaving her face to glance down at Daisy. There’s a small smile on her lips as she accepts the offered clothing before she stands, gently shrugging off Billy’s jacket and handing it to him before he can protest. 

“I really appreciate everything you did for me tonight. I still feel awful about your jacket, and I’ll get your clothes back to you as soon as I can.” She says firmly, and Billy can’t help but chuckle, shaking his head. 

“Don’t worry about the clothes doll, I’m just glad I could be useful.” He grins, making Daisy laugh as she shakes her head. “Really Billy, this jacket must have cost you-”

“I can always get another jacket, some things are worth damaging for others.” He replies, and he fights down the heat threatening to creep up his neck at the raised eyebrow he sees Nancy direct at him, but the stunning smile that takes over Daisy’s face is enough to blind him.

“You’re nothing like the Billy you show at school. I like this one.” She says simply, giving him one last smile before turning around to follow Nancy into the bathroom, but casts him one last look over her shoulder.

“Don’t be a stranger yeah? I’ll see you Monday.” 

And with one last little wave, that bathroom is shut and Billy stands there in the middle of the room, thoughts whirling through his head as he makes his way back down the stairs, music falling on thumping eardrums as he makes way towards the front door.

_I like this one._

Such a small sentence fluttered in and out of his thoughts rampantly as he started his car, letting the rumble of the engine soothe his body as he lets out a deep breath.

Daisy Henderson has wormed her way into Billy’s thoughts, holding on tight as Billy grips the steering wheel.

Maybe Hawkins had something to offer him after all.


	2. Chances ch. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the party, Billy can't get a certain brunette off his mind. What will the following Monday have in store for him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I would first just like to apologize for how long its taken me to updating this story. Life has kind of been spiraling but I finally took the time to sit down and wrap up chapter 2 and I really hope you enjoy it! I am afraid I have started what seems to be the longest slow burn I've ever written so far, and I still have more planned. With that said I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Sunday passed by in a blur. He fell into a restless sleep when he returned home from the party, dreams filled with green eyes and sweet smiles. When Max woke him hours later, he tried to carry on as usual, trying to keep creeping thoughts of Daisy wrapped in his jacket from floating through his head.

He felt like a fucking girl. He didn’t even know the slightest bit about her but here he was, gazing out his bedroom window wondering if she was thinking about him as much as he was her, but he knew that was highly doubtful.

Daisy probably wanted to forget about the night all together.

But he couldn’t.

Billy kept thinking of how perfectly she curled into his chest, the feel of her small, soft hands trembling in his as he pulled her off, but she had just wanted to hold tight, burrowing herself there and if Billy had been the only one there, he would have wrapped her up in his arms and hidden her away. Held her tight and promise her that as long as he held on, no one could touch her.

Pushing those fleeting thoughts to the back of his head, Billy busied himself with his Mustang. Washing her, checking the rims, even wiping down the entire inside. By the time he buffed her to perfection, the sun was setting and his step-mom was calling him in for dinner. 

They ate in their usual silence, Susan occasionally asking him and Max the usual questions of homework and school plans.

“Actually, I was going to ask if it was okay if I could call my friend Dustin? We have a project in Science this week and I told him I’d call with my share of the paper so he could have it ready before class.” Max asks softly, sending the eldest Hargrove a short glance before looking back at her mother. Billy was collecting his plate, about to head back to his room for a quick twenty minute power work-out and shower, when father lifted his gaze.

“The Henderson boy?” He asks, and Billy feels his heart stutter when Max nods.

“Yes sir, we-”

“Fifteen minutes. And it better just be about school.” He warns, before going back to his plate. Max is piling up her dishes and slipping past Billy before he can collect his thoughts.

Henderson. His beast of a step-sister was friends with the youngest Henderson. The puzzle pieces slowly slid into place in his mind as he wandered aimlessly towards the kitchen, dumping his plate into the soapy water as he racked his brain. He didn’t even stop to consider last names, the girl's beauty having most of his attention.

Billy caught a glance of Max shuffling her papers on the kitchen counter, phone balanced between her ear and shoulder as she waited for the line to pick up, and Billy felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

If his twerp sister  _ knew  _ Daisy, then does she know what an ass he can be outside of school? The taunting, sometimes directed at the girls  _ brother _ when he would drop Max off at the arcade? The moods where he would just shout at her, slamming doors in her face or just blowing her off completely when they’re both locked inside the same hellish household? 

Any hope that Billy had built off Daisy’s words began to plummet, mood darkened by the thought of her having to get to know him by word of mouth, and not the blond himself. 

Typical. The one girl who Billy can’t bring to get himself to stop thinking about probably thinks he’s the biggest asshole in town. And why wouldn’t she?

‘ _ You’re just a coward hiding behind a faulty mask.’ _ He thinks to himself bitterly, shoving himself away from the kitchen sink. He ignores Max’s confused gaze, sulking towards his room with his eyes lowered.

Billy Hargorve was a fool to think he could get close to Daisy Henderson. 

Billy opted out of his workout, instead just standing under the spray of scalding hot water, forehead pressed to the tile of his shower as he let the water cascade down his back. 

He stood there until the water ran cold, and pruney fingers struggled to run through his hair as he turned the water off. He needed to sleep. Sleep and forget the past 48 hours ever happened, and Monday he would return to school to find a new piece to have on his arm and he’ll never let himself glance in the brunette girl’s direction.

He was tugging on his boxers when there was a soft knock on his door, and when he tried to ignore it, Max’s head popped in a second later. 

“What brat? Shouldn’t you be in your room?” He huffs, but he didn’t have the energy to pester her much, instead watching her slip in and shut the door. It was rare Billy let her in his room, those nights saved for when Neil was so drunk and out of it, Billy would rather Max be safe in his room, and shielded away from the drunken anger. 

She doesn’t say anything, instead leaning against his door as she looks him over. 

“What?” He grunts, flopping back on his bed. He wanted to sleep, to forget all the feelings that have been eating away at him for the past 45 minutes, and the redhead in his room was making that difficult.

“I just got off the phone with Dustin.” She starts, but she stops herself, wandering a little closer to his bed as he raises his head, giving her a deadpan look. “You’re in here to tell me about your project with Henderson?” He asks flatly, raising an eyebrow. 

Max lets out a huff, rolling her eyes as she drops her arms to her side. “No you idiot. He was telling me that… well…”

“Today Maxine. I’d like to sleep.” He sighs, closing his eyes as he lets his head flop back onto his pillow. 

“Did you really dive into Tina’s pool for Daisy?” She asks quickly, and Billy feels himself freeze. “How-”

“Dustin said she came home crying and hid in her room today. When she finally let him in, she told him about the party, how Tommy had followed her and that you dove into the pool to get her. She said it was really cool.” Max finishes, cheeks tinted pink as Billy stares at her. 

Daisy told him? 

“I… Yeah, I did. We talked at the party and she told me she didn’t like water, so when Tommy threw her in I just… knew I had to get to her.” He explains awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he glances to the wall. He wasn’t about to let Max know he couldn’t get Daisy out of his head, or that the fact that Daisy had told her brother was causing warmth to spread through him.

But she was already reading him, head tilted before she just flashes him a smile, spinning on her heel as she walks towards the door. As she slips out, she gives Billy a final glance over her shoulder. “It is cool what you did by the way. Daisy’s the best, way cooler than Steve or Nancy. Maybe hanging out with her will smarten up that blond head of yours.” She grins, darting away when Billy throws a pillow towards the door.

Billy’s head was a rush of thoughts and questions. What all had she told Dustin? Did she mention the kitchen, or how Billy had held her while she cried, wrapping her in his jacket to shield her against the cold before he got her a change of clothes? 

He could feel it, the small spark of hope at the pit of his stomach as he relaxed back into his bed. 

Maybe he did have a chance after all.

  
  


Monday morning Billy found himself awake before his alarm. He was slow in his dressing, pulling on his favorite pair of jeans and a simple navy button up. He hummed to himself with hair, fixing each curl into perfection, running his tongue over his teeth before giving himself a smile once he was finished. Once he deemed himself ready, he strolled into the kitchen, finding Max in a whirlwind of papers as she ran around the small room. 

He grabbed an orange, peeling it slowly as he watched the younger girl rush about, hair flying behind her as she shoves papers and a small box into her bag. 

“If you keep spazzing you’re gonna make me dizzy.” Billy huffs, almost laughing when Max almost falls in her rush to her room.

“Billy! Can you give me an early ride? I told Dustin and Lucas I’d meet them in the cafeteria to go over last minute details.” She pleads, and Billy has half a mind to tell her no, but he shrugs. 

“Whatever. I’ll be in the car, don’t keep me waiting.” He replies, grabbing his denim jacket off the back of his kitchen chair and going for his keys. 

If he was doing this in the small hope that Daisy would be there dropping off Dustin, that was his secret to keep. 

He starts up his Mustang, rolling his eyes as Max shoves her bag and skateboard into the backseat before sliding in. “Got all your shit? ‘Cause I ain’t turnin’ around.” He warns, backing out of the driveway as she rolls her eyes, nodding.

They ride in their usual silence, Max humming along to a song every so often before he’s pulling into the middle school parking lot. He pushed down the flutter of disappointment as he scanned the parking lot, which was almost bare besides a few teachers chatting as they approached the building. 

“There they are.” Max points, and Billy lets his gaze slide to where he sees the two boys locking their bikes up securely, the youngest Henderson struggling to hold onto a giant tri fold board. “Alright, I’ll be here after school. Don’t keep me waiting twerp.” He huffs, watching the redhead roll her eyes in the rearview mirror as she grabs her bag, tucking her board under her arm as she throws open the back door.

They give each other a curt nod of departure before Max is off, and Billy is pulling out of the parking lot, giving one last look around for a sight of chocolate curls before he’s off. 

He takes his time getting to school, humming along to the Pink Floyd song that rang out over his stereo. As the Hawkins Hugh came into view, he let his eyes look over the bodies making their way towards the front doors, students chatting happily between themselves. As he pulls into a parking space, he spots Heather, Tina and their friends in their usual flowking spot, eyes glued to him as he slides out of the driver seat. He throws them a wink as he slicks back his hair, before grabbing his bag from the trunk of his car, having sat ignored for well over a month, before making his way towards the entrance closest to his locker.

Maybe, if he actually went to all his classes, he could see if they shared any of them. It was a fleeting thought, and when he sat himself down in his Physics class and got a bewildered look from Wheeler, he just gave a half wave as he propped his elbow up on the desk.

His first two classes go by agonizingly slow, Billy struggling to keep his eyes open during his second period Algebra class, and when the bell rang he had half a mind to skip his third class for a smoke behind the gym, but as he approached his locker to grab his pack, he heard a familiar laugh drift from down the hall, and when he lifted his head, he caught sight of Daisy waving to Byers and Wheeler before disappearing into the classroom. 

His English classroom. 

He quickly shoved his pack back into his locker, they had taken them up his second day so he tends to stash them away, just in case, and grabbed his textbook before shutting his locker and making his way towards the open class door as the bell sounds out. He slips past his teacher, who gives him a surprised look before closing the door behind him.

He scans the room, looking for a seat and a head of curls when a bright smile catches his eye. Tucked away in the back, Daisy is sending him a smile that causes his heart to skip, but he pushes the feeling away, sending her a small smile of his own before sliding into the only seat available, at the front. There’s some whispers, his name reaching his ears more than once but he ignores it, resting his chin on his hand as the class begins. 

As the class goes on, Billy has to fight the urge to look behind him. He can hear her pipe into the lesson every so often, and a small smile finds its way to his lips.

Of course she’s a student who will correct the teacher in the readings, she seems the type from the bit Billy actually knew about her. 

He zones out, sentences of greek gods mixing together in his head as he turns to look out the window, scanning the grass for anything to fixate on. He doesn’t know how long he’s out, eyes dropping as he watched two birds fight over a piece of what looks like a burger, when the desk next to his shifts to press into his. 

He sighs, dropping his hand from his chin before turning to face the person who has invaded his space. Bright green greet his icy blues and he has to grip his chair to keep from falling back. Daisy sits next to him, her hair now pulled into a messy bun at the top of her head, eyes fixed on him and that same smile on her lips.

“Hey there partner, ready to get started picking topics?” She asks, setting her journal down on the desk and Billy feels his heart pick up.

“I uh… I sorta zoned out there.” He chuckles, running a hand through his curls. She laughs, already jotting down a few things that Billy leans over and peers at. 

“Medusa’s curse?” He questions, raising an eyebrow as he scans over a few of the notes she already had before she sat next to him. “Looks like you got the topic taken care of Henderson.” 

She glances at him, and he can see the small blush creeping into her cheeks. “Well… you’ve been my assigned partner since the start of the semester so I usually write my ideas down on my own.” She explains, and Billy groans. Was she serious? 

“Shit Daisy are you being serious?” He asks, a hint of a whine to his voice that he hopes she misses, but by the laugh that spills out as she covers her mouth, he knew she caught it. 

“It’s fine Billy, really. I usually end up doing most projects by myself anyways.” She smiles, and he sinks back, crossing his arms.

“I’m an ass.” He says flatly, rolling his eyes when she laughs loudly at this, a few other students glancing over as she shakes her head, a few of her curls spilling down.

“No, you’re the ‘king’ of Hawkins and tend to skip your classes.” She teases, before continuing. “Which is why it was kind of a surprise seeing you walk into class today, but a nice one.” She smiles, turning back to her notes and Billy fights the warm feeling swirling in his gut.

He studies her for a moment, watching as she focuses on her notes, more of her hair falling into her eyes and Billy feels his hand twitching with the want of brushing it away, but he settles for grabbing his own paper, reaching over nonchalantly and bringing her journal closer so he could get a vague idea of her ideas. 

“Medusa wasn’t evil?” He frowned, cocking his head as he scans the page, and when he looks up, he sees that his question has gotten her attention, eyes almost fiery as she nods. 

“No, a common misconception because schools don’t really talk about the true story of why Athena did what she did, another thing people twist around as Athena punishing Medusa, but she was really giving her a great weapon.” Her rambles continue, facing him as much as her desk would allow as her hands moved animatedly with her words.

Billy found himself intrigued, listening as Daisy told him old myths that he never cared to pay attention to before, but the way she spoke so passionately about how selfish and cruel the gods could be when it came to mortal women had him nodding in agreement by the end. 

“Shit I always thought Posideon would be the calmest of the three, but I guess being the god of the ocean makes you as unpredictable as the sea.” He comments, and the smile that spreads across her face makes him feel like he just got an A+ on a test. 

The sound of the bell makes them both jump, and students start shuffling around them as they start collecting their things. Billy wanted to ask her if she’d like his house number, so they could discuss their project after school, but before he can open his mouth she’s lightly tapping his arm to get his attention.

“Do you have any plans for lunch?” She asks, voice almost shy as she slings her bag over her shoulder. He shakes his head, not trusting his voice as he watches her glance at her feet before looking up at him. 

“Would you like to sit with my friends and I? They can get a bit wild, especially Robin, but I thought we could talk about a study schedule.” She explains, and Billy raises an eyebrow.

“Study schedule?” He laughs, and her cheeks turn back into the pretty pink shade as she rolls her eyes. “Shut up. Times and days you can come over and we go over the project.” She huffs, anf Billy feels his body go stiff, but he nods, butterflies erupting in his stomach at the thought of spending time with her outside of school.

At her home.

“Yeah...Yeah I’d like that.”


End file.
